Chico Resch
Encyclopedia
Glenn Allan "Chico" Resch (born July 10, 1948) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey
goaltender
and television sportscaster
. Resch played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League
(NHL) from 1973 to 1986, winning one Stanley Cup
with the New York Islanders
in 1980. He is currently the color commentator
on New Jersey Devils
telecasts for MSG Plus
and MSG Network
.
in which he played goalie for the UMD Bulldogs. After earning a four-year degree in education, he turned pro by joining the Muskegon Mohawks
of the IHL where he won three prestigious awards in his first season: the James Norris Memorial Trophy (fewest goals against), rookie of the year honours, and selected as a First-Team All-Star.
Having out-grown the IHL, the following year he stepped-up to play for the New Haven Nighthawks
of the AHL
and then spent most of the 1973–74 season playing for the Fort Worth Wings of the CHL where he won the league's MVP Honours and was voted as a CHL First Team All Star. He made his National Hockey League
debut for the Islanders on February 3, 1974 in a 4–2 defeat to the California Golden Seals
and earned his first NHL victory two nights later, with a 6–2 win over the Minnesota North Stars
before returning to the Wings for the remainder of the season.
and Philadelphia Flyers
. The Isles defeated the Penguins in seven games, winning the decisive game 1–0 on a goal by team captain Ed Westfall
. The comeback is considered one of the greatest in sports history and marked one of only four times in history that a North America
n professional sports team won a best-of-7 series after losing the first three games, the others being the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs
(also ice hockey
), the 2004 Boston Red Sox
(major league baseball
), and the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers
.
In the following round, the Islanders again rallied from a 3–0 deficit to force a game seven, but the defending champion Flyers eliminated the Islanders with a 4–1 win in the decisive game.
Resch saw increased action in the next season, 1975–76 and he did not disappoint. In 44 games, he had 23 wins, 11 losses, 8 ties, and 7 shut-outs with a 2.07 goals against average. Over the next few seasons, he would share the workload with another promising young goalie, Billy Smith
.
In 1978-79, the tandem of Resch and Smith backstopped the Islanders to the best regular season record in the league, with Resch earning Second All-Star team honours. However, the team was upset by the New York Rangers
in the Stanley Cup semifinals.
In 1980, his sixth full season with the Islanders, Resch was part of a Stanley Cup
win, but generally served as the backup through most of the team's playoff run. Resch was one of the key players from the Islanders' 1979 first place team who left the team or had their roles relegated; before the end of the 1980 regular season, General Manager Bill Torrey
had traded away longtime and popular veterans Billy Harris and Dave Lewis to the Los Angeles Kings
in return for Butch Goring
.
along with Steve Tambellini
for Mike McEwen and Jari Kaarela
. He returned to Long Island
for the first time as an opponent on February 20, 1982. The Islanders defeated the Rockies 3–2 on a goal in the final minute by John Tonelli
. The victory was the Islanders' 15th straight, which set an NHL record at the time.
Resch played in Colorado for only the rest of the 1980–81 season and the 1981–82 NHL season before the franchise moved to New Jersey
to become the New Jersey Devils
. Resch shouldered a heavy load over the next few years, but the Devils didn't win many games.
(Marc Laniel
). The next NHL season would be his last, as Resch backed up rookie sensation Ron Hextall
in 1986–87.
Resch didn't get any playing time in the 1987 playoffs, where the Flyers defeated his old team, the New York Islanders, in seven games during their second-round matchup. In the pre-game warm-up of game 6 of the conference finals contest with the Montreal Canadiens
, Resch was ejected from one of the games for his part in starting a brawl with Montreal's Claude Lemieux
. The Flyers won that series but lost to the Edmonton Oilers in 7 exciting games in the Stanley Cup Finals.
While with the Islanders, he never had a losing season and compiled an impressive 157 wins and only 69 losses. After he was traded, he didn't have a winning season again until his very last one with the Philadelphia Flyers
in 1986–87 where he went 6–5–2 in 17 games.
first of four Stanley Cup
s in a row, abeit as the backup goaltender.
Resch also played in two Canada Cup
s, once for Canada
(where he was the third, spare, goaltender) and once for the United States
in 1984. Resch also played for Team USA at the 1982 Ice Hockey World Championships
(he was originally shortlisted for the 1981 Canada Cup
but missed the tournament as his application for American citizenship had not been fully processed by the time the tournament started).
's Hockey Night in Canada
in the playoffs after his team had been eliminated.
After retiring as a player in 1987, he had a short broadcasting stint with the Minnesota North Stars
, working as a color analyst on the team's television broadcasts during the 1987–88 and 1988–89 seasons.
Following work as a general manager for a Canadian junior hockey team and as a professional coach, mainly for the Ottawa Senators
, Resch joined Fox Sports NY (later renamed MSG Plus
) as a commentator on New Jersey Devils
games, where he is paired with Mike Emrick
. During home telecasts (and select away telecasts) of the 2008-09 and 2009-10 season, a segment entitled "Chico Eats!" was regularly shown, in which Resch tastes food from the many eateries at the Devils' newly opened Prudential Center.
. The nickname is a reference to the character portrayed by Freddie Prinze
on the 1970s sit-com Chico and the Man
. Chants of "Let's go, Chico!" rang out at every Devils game during his reign as goaltender.
In the early 2000s, the same nickname was passed on to goaltender Robert Esche
, then with the Phoenix Coyotes
. Like many hockey players, Esche's sticks had his first initial, and then his last name. Hence, "R. Esche" became "Chico".
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
and television sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
. Resch played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) from 1973 to 1986, winning one Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
with the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in 1980. He is currently the color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
on New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
telecasts for MSG Plus
MSG Plus
MSG Plus is a regional sports network in the New York City metropolitan area, whose reach expands to cover the entire state of New York, Northern New Jersey, Southwestern Connecticut, and Northeastern Pennsylvania. The network was rebranded on March 10, 2008.Like its sister network, MSG, it is...
and MSG Network
MSG Network
The MSG Network, now shortened to simply MSG, is a regional cable television and radio network serving the Mid-Atlantic United States. It is focused on New York City sports teams...
.
Junior hockey
He started his playing career with the University of Minnesota DuluthUniversity of Minnesota Duluth
The University of Minnesota Duluth is a regional branch of the University of Minnesota system located in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. As Duluth's public research university, UMD offers 13 bachelor's degrees in 74 majors, graduate programs in 24 different fields, a two-year program at the School of...
in which he played goalie for the UMD Bulldogs. After earning a four-year degree in education, he turned pro by joining the Muskegon Mohawks
Muskegon Mohawks
The Muskegon Mohawks were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League from 1965 to 1984. Muskegon were Turner Cup champions in 1968....
of the IHL where he won three prestigious awards in his first season: the James Norris Memorial Trophy (fewest goals against), rookie of the year honours, and selected as a First-Team All-Star.
Having out-grown the IHL, the following year he stepped-up to play for the New Haven Nighthawks
New Haven Nighthawks
The New Haven Nighthawks are a former ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1972 to 1992. They had affiliations with the Minnesota North Stars , New York Islanders , New York Rangers , and Los Angeles Kings...
of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
and then spent most of the 1973–74 season playing for the Fort Worth Wings of the CHL where he won the league's MVP Honours and was voted as a CHL First Team All Star. He made his National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
debut for the Islanders on February 3, 1974 in a 4–2 defeat to the California Golden Seals
California Golden Seals
The California Golden Seals were a team in the National Hockey League from 1967–76. Initially named California Seals, the team was renamed Oakland Seals part-way through the 1967–68 season, and then to California Golden Seals in 1970. The Seals were one of six teams added to the league as part of...
and earned his first NHL victory two nights later, with a 6–2 win over the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
before returning to the Wings for the remainder of the season.
New York Islanders
The next season, 1974–75, Resch was ready for the NHL. In 25 games, he had 12 wins, 7 losses, 5 ties and 3 shut-outs with a 2.47 goals against average. His success during the regular season carried over into the playoffs as he had an incredible 8 wins and 4 losses with a 2.17 goals against average. Resch was in goal as the Islanders erased 3–0 deficits to both the Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
and Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The Isles defeated the Penguins in seven games, winning the decisive game 1–0 on a goal by team captain Ed Westfall
Ed Westfall
Edwin Vernon "Shadow" Westfall is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins and the New York Islanders from 1961 until 1978–79...
. The comeback is considered one of the greatest in sports history and marked one of only four times in history that a North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n professional sports team won a best-of-7 series after losing the first three games, the others being the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
(also ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
), the 2004 Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(major league baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
), and the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
In the following round, the Islanders again rallied from a 3–0 deficit to force a game seven, but the defending champion Flyers eliminated the Islanders with a 4–1 win in the decisive game.
Resch saw increased action in the next season, 1975–76 and he did not disappoint. In 44 games, he had 23 wins, 11 losses, 8 ties, and 7 shut-outs with a 2.07 goals against average. Over the next few seasons, he would share the workload with another promising young goalie, Billy Smith
Billy Smith (ice hockey)
William John Smith, better known as Billy Smith, is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender and is best known for winning four Stanley Cups with the New York Islanders and being the first goalie to be credited with a goal....
.
In 1978-79, the tandem of Resch and Smith backstopped the Islanders to the best regular season record in the league, with Resch earning Second All-Star team honours. However, the team was upset by the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
in the Stanley Cup semifinals.
In 1980, his sixth full season with the Islanders, Resch was part of a Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
win, but generally served as the backup through most of the team's playoff run. Resch was one of the key players from the Islanders' 1979 first place team who left the team or had their roles relegated; before the end of the 1980 regular season, General Manager Bill Torrey
Bill Torrey
William A. Torrey was a General Manager and executive in the National Hockey League, most famous for building up the expansion New York Islanders into a dynasty that won four consecutive Stanley Cups...
had traded away longtime and popular veterans Billy Harris and Dave Lewis to the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in return for Butch Goring
Butch Goring
Robert "Butch" Goring is a retired Canadian ice hockey player. He played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders and Boston Bruins. He is a four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Islanders. Since retiring as a player he has served as head coach of...
.
Colorado Rockies/New Jersey Devils
The next season, on March 10, 1981, Resch was traded to the struggling Colorado RockiesColorado Rockies (NHL)
The Colorado Rockies were an American professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League that played in Denver, Colorado, from 1976 to 1982. They were a relocation of the Kansas City Scouts, a 1974 expansion team. The franchise moved to East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1982 and was...
along with Steve Tambellini
Steve Tambellini
Steven Anthony Tambellini is a former NHL player and is currently the general manager for the Edmonton Oilers hockey franchise in Edmonton, Alberta.-Playing career:...
for Mike McEwen and Jari Kaarela
Jari Kaarela
Jari Kaarela is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League and SM-Liiga. He played for HIFK, and Colorado Rockies.- External links :...
. He returned to Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
for the first time as an opponent on February 20, 1982. The Islanders defeated the Rockies 3–2 on a goal in the final minute by John Tonelli
John Tonelli
John A. Tonelli is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward. He was a four-time Stanley Cup champion with the New York Islanders, and also played with the Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, and the Quebec Nordiques of the National Hockey League.-Bio:In 1982 and 1985,...
. The victory was the Islanders' 15th straight, which set an NHL record at the time.
Resch played in Colorado for only the rest of the 1980–81 season and the 1981–82 NHL season before the franchise moved to New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
to become the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Resch shouldered a heavy load over the next few years, but the Devils didn't win many games.
Philadelphia Flyers
Resch was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers on March 11, 1986 for a third round pick in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft1986 NHL Entry Draft
The 1986 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 21, 1986 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 252 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1985–86 NHL season and playoff standings...
(Marc Laniel
Marc Laniel
Marc Laniel is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman. He was drafted in the third round, 62nd overall, by the New Jersey Devils in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. He played the first ten years of his professional career, 1987 to 1997, playing for various teams in the American Hockey League, the...
). The next NHL season would be his last, as Resch backed up rookie sensation Ron Hextall
Ron Hextall
Ronald Jeffrey Hextall is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 13 National Hockey League seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers, Quebec Nordiques, and New York Islanders...
in 1986–87.
Resch didn't get any playing time in the 1987 playoffs, where the Flyers defeated his old team, the New York Islanders, in seven games during their second-round matchup. In the pre-game warm-up of game 6 of the conference finals contest with the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, Resch was ejected from one of the games for his part in starting a brawl with Montreal's Claude Lemieux
Claude Lemieux
Claude Percy Lemieux is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He last played for the San Jose Sharks before announcing his retirement on July 8, 2009. He is one of only ten players in Stanley Cup history to win the Cup with three different teams. His 80 career playoff goals are the...
. The Flyers won that series but lost to the Edmonton Oilers in 7 exciting games in the Stanley Cup Finals.
While with the Islanders, he never had a losing season and compiled an impressive 157 wins and only 69 losses. After he was traded, he didn't have a winning season again until his very last one with the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in 1986–87 where he went 6–5–2 in 17 games.
International career
Resch is the only goaltender to ever represent two different countries at Canada Cup. In 1976, he was a member of Canadian ice hockey squad, while in 1981, he represented United States, after he got his US Citizenship (married an American and being a legal resident for many years). Also, in 1981, he turned down Don Cherry's offer to represent Canada at the 1981 IIHF World Championships in Sweden.Personal
Chico resides in Emily, MN in the off season, during NHL season he resides in New Jersey. His daughter, Holly is a talented artist and was an illustrator of one of Chico's books: Tales from the Devils Ice. Chico is one of the supporters and coaches for Hockey Ministries International in the off-season, teaching young boys and girls the hockey and ethic skills at Christian Hockey Camps. His great personality makes him all time favorite with kids, because of his sense of humor and never-ending stories from his professional career and beyond.Awards
Resch won the Bill Masterton Trophy in 1982 and made a total of three NHL All-Star game appearances in 1976, 1977, and 1984, in the 1984 NHL All-Star Game he was the winning goaltender for the Wales Conference. Resch was named to the Postseason Second All-Star team in 1979. In 1980, he was a part of the New York IslandersNew York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
first of four Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
s in a row, abeit as the backup goaltender.
Resch also played in two Canada Cup
Canada Cup (ice hockey)
The Canada Cup was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that allowed the best players from participating nations to compete regardless of their status as professional...
s, once for Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(where he was the third, spare, goaltender) and once for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1984. Resch also played for Team USA at the 1982 Ice Hockey World Championships
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
(he was originally shortlisted for the 1981 Canada Cup
1981 Canada Cup
The 1981 Canada Cup was the second best-on-best ice hockey world championship and involved the world's top six hockey nations. Tournament games were held in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa. The Soviet Union defeated Canada in a single game final to win its first title, while Soviet...
but missed the tournament as his application for American citizenship had not been fully processed by the time the tournament started).
Broadcasting career
Resch was considered to be a good interview during his playing days, so it was no surprise that he became a television commentator. He actually began broadcasting during his playing days, often working as an analyst for CBCCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
's Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...
in the playoffs after his team had been eliminated.
After retiring as a player in 1987, he had a short broadcasting stint with the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
, working as a color analyst on the team's television broadcasts during the 1987–88 and 1988–89 seasons.
Following work as a general manager for a Canadian junior hockey team and as a professional coach, mainly for the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Resch joined Fox Sports NY (later renamed MSG Plus
MSG Plus
MSG Plus is a regional sports network in the New York City metropolitan area, whose reach expands to cover the entire state of New York, Northern New Jersey, Southwestern Connecticut, and Northeastern Pennsylvania. The network was rebranded on March 10, 2008.Like its sister network, MSG, it is...
) as a commentator on New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
games, where he is paired with Mike Emrick
Mike Emrick
Michael "Doc" Emrick, is an American sports commentator noted mostly for his work in ice hockey. Emrick is currently the lead announcer for NHL national telecasts on both NBC and Versus...
. During home telecasts (and select away telecasts) of the 2008-09 and 2009-10 season, a segment entitled "Chico Eats!" was regularly shown, in which Resch tastes food from the many eateries at the Devils' newly opened Prudential Center.
Famous nickname
The mustachioed Resch was given the nickname "Chico" by former Islander teammate Doug RomboughDoug Rombough
Doug Rombough is a former professional ice hockey centre. He was drafted in the eighth round, 97th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft. He played in the National Hockey League with the Sabres, New York Islanders, and Minnesota North Stars.In his NHL career, Rombough...
. The nickname is a reference to the character portrayed by Freddie Prinze
Freddie Prinze
Freddie Prinze was an American actor and stand-up comedian. He was known as the star of Chico and the Man. He is the father of actor Freddie Prinze, Jr.-Early life:...
on the 1970s sit-com Chico and the Man
Chico and the Man
Chico and the Man is an American sitcom which ran on NBC for four seasons, from September 13, 1974 to July 21, 1978. It stars Jack Albertson as Ed Brown , the cantankerous owner of a run down garage in an East Los Angeles barrio, and Freddie Prinze as Chico Rodriguez, an upbeat, optimistic Chicano...
. Chants of "Let's go, Chico!" rang out at every Devils game during his reign as goaltender.
In the early 2000s, the same nickname was passed on to goaltender Robert Esche
Robert Esche
Robert L. Esche is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for SCL Tigers of National League A.-Playing career:...
, then with the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
. Like many hockey players, Esche's sticks had his first initial, and then his last name. Hence, "R. Esche" became "Chico".